Despite falling behind in the last game, the Skyhawks made a comeback in the second game with a late run in the bottom of the ninth, defeating Belmont 9-8.
It didn’t take long for the Bruins (22-7, 9-2 OVC) to start bringing runners home. In the second inning, they totaled three runs and would continue scoring over the next two innings, scoring once at the top of the third and three more times at the top of the forth, all before the Skyhawks (9-21, 2-12 OVC) came close to a run.
Fortunately for UTM, they had four hits and three runs in the bottom of the fourth, allowing them to increase the score 7-3.
Belmont tallied two hits and one run at the top of the fifth, extending their lead 8-3.
After a scoreless sixth inning and holding Belmont off in the top of the seventh, UTM was running out of time to make plays. The Skyhawks gained five runs after six hits in the bottom of the seventh and would head into the last two innings tied with the Bruins, 8-8.
Because neither team had scored in the eighth, the Skyhawks needed to hold the Bruins in the top of the ninth to put themselves in position for the walk-off win, and they did.
First to bat for the Skyhawks in the bottom of the ninth was infielder Wade Collins, who hit the ball toward centerfield making it to first base. Outfielder Kyle Bargery was next up to bat. He would bunt the ball toward first taking an out for the team, but the play moved Collins all the way to third base as he stared down not only home plate, but a win for his team. Outfielder Brent Morris came up to bat, but was intentionally walked to first by the Bruins.
Infielder Matt Haynes stepped up to bat, tapped the bat against home plate twice, and bunted the ball to first base. The same play that got Collins to third base a few plays earlier brought him home and sealed the win for the Skyhawks in game two of the three-game series.
“Wade is a good runner,” said UTM Head Coach Bubba Cates after the comeback win. “He’s a big guy, but he’s a good runner and a smart base runner too.”
Those smarts showed when he didn’t press the issue on the final run that gave the Skyhawks the victory.
Haynes would lead the team with two runs. Haynes, shortstop Nico Zych and outfielder Byron Johann all had three hits a piece for the team. Pitcher Taylor Cox ended the game with a team-high four strikeouts.
The final game of the series will be played Sunday April 7, at 1 p.m. To keep up with the game, follow The Pacer on Facebook and @ThePacer on Twitter.
